CLARK COUNTY — Clark County is looking to build a new public safety building.
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As reported on News Center 7 at 5:00, the county commissioners said they need a new jail, and people in the area agree, just not on the location.
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County commissioners held a meeting to answer the community’s questions about the project on Wednesday.
The new complex would span across 30 acres in the area of State Route 72, south of Interstate 70.
>>RELATED: Residents express concerns over potential new Clark County Jail site
If the 20-year, 0.5% sales tax levy passes in November, the farmland would be covered in concrete.
“I wouldn’t have said anything about it, but it just seems like they’re trying to shove it down our throats,” Springfield resident Isaac Holbert said.
Holbert has lived on Hedgely Road for over 30 years.
If the levy passes, he would be able to see the jail from his patio.
He’s worried about paying an additional 50 cents in taxes, plus what the facility will do to the environment.
“Had somebody do an environmental check on it and deemed it a flood plain,” Holbert said. “We don’t have public services, water, and sewage. We have wells and septic systems out here.”
Holbert’s next question is how the jail would impact the flow of traffic.
“We’ve had several accidents up and down this road,” Holbert said.
Despite his concerns, Holbert believes a new jail is needed.
“I visited people in that jail there, and it’s bad. I mean, it’s old, and it needs to be done,” he said.
As of Monday, the Clark County Jail is considered extremely over capacity, with 205 inmates and 180 beds.
“The research that we’ve done says that we need about 450 beds so that we can appropriately separate the different types of inmates that we have,” County Commissioner Charlie Patterson said.
Patterson explained how much people would spend if the levy passed.
“Perspective, if you spend $100, it would be 50 cents. That’s the tax,” he said.
That would cover 85% of the new sheriff’s office and jail facility.
The rest of the funding would likely come from the state.
Patterson said they looked at other sites for the building, but this one made the most sense.
“But we will get a new jail one way or the other. Will it be the right-sized jail? Will it be co-located with the sheriff’s office? I can’t answer those questions,” Patterson said.
News Center 7 will continue to follow this story.
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